Bracket and frame body having the same

ABSTRACT

A frame body includes a bottom plate, a connection portion, and a bracket. The bracket includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a bending portion, a positioning board, and a connection layer. The first sidewall has a first end connected to the connection portion and has a first surface facing away from the accommodating space. The second sidewall is adjacent to a side of the first sidewall that faces away from an accommodating space of the frame body. The second sidewall has a second surface facing the first surface. The bending portion is connected to a second end of the first sidewall that is distal to the connection portion and the second sidewall. The positioning board is connected to an end of the second sidewall that is distal to the bending portion. The connection layer adheres the first surface and the second surface.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Divisional Application of the applicationSer. No. 13/735,105, filed Jan. 7, 2013, which claims priority to TaiwanApplication Serial Number 101132173, filed Sep. 4, 2012, all of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a bracket and a frame body having thesame.

Description of Related Art

In recent years, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been extensivelyused in various consumer electronic products and are gradually replacingcathode ray tubes (CRTs). The replacing of CRTs with LCDs is occurringdue to the fact that LCDs have the advantages of high definition, smallvolume, low weight, low radiation, and low power consumption comparedwith CRTs. LCDs are used to display images in, for example, mosttelevisions, monitors, cellular phones, and portable computers on themarket. Therefore, LCDs have become indispensable electronic productsfor work or pleasure.

A liquid crystal display often includes an LC panel, a light guideplate, a reflective plate, and a bezel. The bezel needs to havesufficient strength to support the LC panel, the light guide plate, andthe reflective plate, so that the bezel is often made of metal.Moreover, the bezel usually includes an outwardly bent ear portion whichis used for assembly to a rear cover of a system provided by clients.For example, the bezel may be positioned on the rear cover of the systemby screwing or otherwise coupling the ear portion thereto.

When the bezel is made of stainless steel, while it has a high degree ofstrength, it is, on the other hand, heavy, costly, and has low heatdissipation efficiency, such that the bezel does not easily satisfy theclients. In contrast, when the bezel is made of aluminum, while it islight, low in cost, and has good heat dissipation efficiency, such analuminum bezel has a low strength. Therefore, the ear portion of thebezel made of aluminum may easily break when external forces are appliedthereto, especially at a bending portion of the ear portion, making itdifficult to fix the bezel firmly on the rear cover of a liquid crystaldisplay.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a bracket.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a bracket includes a firstsidewall, a second sidewall, a bending portion, a positioning board, anda connection layer. The first sidewall has a first surface. The secondsidewall has a second surface that faces the first surface of the firstsidewall. The bending portion is connected to the first and secondsidewalls. The positioning board is connected to an end of the secondsidewall that is distal to the bending portion. The connection layeradheres the first surface of the first sidewall and the second surfaceof the second sidewall.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, at least one gap islocated between the first surface of the first sidewall and the secondsurface of the second sidewall.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the connectionlayer is a two-component epoxy adhesive capable of being cured at a roomtemperature, epoxy glue, or ultraviolet curing glue.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the connectionlayer is solder.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a portion of thebracket where the second sidewall and the positioning board areconnected is formed an arc surface.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a frame bodyhaving an accommodating space.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a frame body includes abottom plate, a connection portion standing erect on the bottom plate,and a bracket. The bracket includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall,a bending portion, a positioning board, and a connection layer. Thefirst sidewall has a first end connected to the connection portion andhas a first surface facing away from the accommodating space. The secondsidewall is adjacent to a side of the first sidewall that faces awayfrom the accommodating space. The second sidewall has a second surfacefacing the first surface of the first sidewall. The bending portion isconnected to a second end of the first sidewall that is distal to theconnection portion and the second sidewall. The positioning board isconnected to an end of the second sidewall that is distal to the bendingportion. The connection layer adheres the first surface of the firstsidewall and the second surface of the second sidewall.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first sidewallof the bracket is perpendicular to the bottom plate.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first sidewallof the bracket is parallel to the bottom plate.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first andsecond sidewalls are made of metal, and the connection layer is a metaladhesive.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a portion of thebracket where the second sidewall and the positioning board areconnected is formed as an arc surface.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a portion of theframe body where the connection portion and the first sidewall of thebracket are connected is formed as an arc surface.

In the aforementioned embodiments of the present invention, since thebracket includes the connection layer to adhere the first and secondsidewalls, the strength of the bracket can be increased, such that thebracket is not easily broken when external forces are applied to thebracket. Furthermore, since the connection layer can improve thestrength of the bracket, a material that is light, low cost, and thathas good heat dissipation efficiency can be used to manufacture thebracket. Stated differently, since the strength of the bracket isincreased through use of the connection layer, heavy, costly, and lowheat dissipation efficiency materials may be avoided when manufacturingthe bracket. As a result, materials with specific physical propertiesmay be chosen more flexibly for use in manufacturing the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a frame body according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the frame body shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a frame body according to anembodiment of the present invention, in which the cross-sectionalposition is the same as in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the frame body shown in FIG. 1 assembled to adisplay module;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a frame body according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the frame body shown in FIG. 6 assembled to adisplay module; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 shown in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent,however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without thesespecific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devicesare schematically shown in order to simplify the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a frame body 200 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the framebody 200 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the frame body200 includes a bottom plate 220 and a bracket 100, and the bracket 100is connected to an edge of the bottom plate 220. The frame body 200 canbe assembled to a display module. That is, the frame body 200 can bepositioned on a rear cover of the display module by screwing orotherwise coupling the bracket 100 thereto (to be describedhereinafter).

The frame body 200 has an accommodating space 210 to receive and supporta display panel, a light guide plate, a reflective plate, an opticalsheet, etc. The frame body 200 further includes a frame sidewall 222that stands erect on the bottom plate 220. Portions of the framesidewall 222 adjacent to two sides of the bracket 100 may be abuttedagainst or separated from the bracket 100. In this embodiment, a gap dis formed between the bracket 100 and the frame sidewalls 222, and abottom portion 224 under the gap d is circular arc shaped. As a result,when external forces are applied to the bracket 100, the gap d canfunction as a stress relief cavity and thereby prevent the bracket 100from breaking.

In the following description, structures of the frame body 200 and thebracket 100 will be described in detail.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 1.As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the frame body 200 includes the bottomplate 220, a connection portion 230, and the bracket 100. The connectionportion 230 stands erect on the bottom plate 220. The bracket 100includes a first sidewall 110, a second sidewall 120, a bending portion130, a positioning board 140, and a connection layer 150. The firstsidewall 110 has a first end 112 and a second end 114. The first end 112of the first sidewall 110 is connected to the connection portion 230,and the first sidewall 110 has a first surface 116 facing away from theaccommodating space 210. The second sidewall 120 is adjacent to a sideof the first sidewall 110 that faces away from the accommodating space210, and the second sidewall 120 has a second surface 122 facing thefirst surface 116 of the first sidewall 110. The bending portion 130 isconnected to the second end 114 of the first sidewall 110 and the secondsidewall 120. The second end 114 of the first sidewall 110 is distal tothe connection portion 230.

Furthermore, the positioning board 140 is connected to an end of thesecond sidewall 120 that is distal to the bending portion 130. Theconnection layer 150 is adhered to the first surface 116 of the firstsidewall 110 and the second surface 122 of the second sidewall 120. Thepositioning board 140 has a through hole 142, such that a fixing element(e.g., a screw or a bolt) can penetrate the through hole 142 to fix thepositioning board 140 on a housing.

In this embodiment, the first sidewall 110 of the bracket 100 isperpendicular to the bottom plate 220. However, the first sidewall 110need not be exactly perpendicular to the bottom plate 220 and there maybe a 10% perpendicularity tolerance, but the present invention is notlimited in this regard. The first sidewall 110 of the bracket 100 mayextend from the connection portion 230 of the frame body 200 in such amanner that the first sidewall 110 and the connection portion 230 arecoplanar. The frame body 200 can be manufactured by stamping, such thatthe bottom plate 220, the connection portion 230, and the first andsecond sidewalls 110, 120, the bending portion 130, and the positioningboard 140 of the bracket 100 can be formed as a single piece. However,the frame body 200 may also be manufactured by other methods, and thepresent invention is not limited in this regard.

The bracket 100 includes the connection layer 150 to adhere the firstand second sidewalls 110, 120, such that the strength of the bracket 100can be increased. For example, when an external force in a direction D1is applied to the positioning board 140 of the bracket 100, since thefirst and second sidewalls 110, 120 are adhered by the connection layer150, the first and second sidewalls 110, 120 do not easily separate, andthe bending portion 130 is not easily broken by the external force.Moreover, since the connection layer 150 can improve the strength of thebracket 100, materials with specific physical properties may be chosenfor use in manufacturing the bracket 100. For example, a material thatis light, low in cost, and that has good heat dissipation efficiency canbe used to manufacture the bracket 100. Stated differently, since thestrength of the bracket 100 is increased through use of the connectionlayer, heavy, costly, and low heat dissipation efficiency materials maybe avoided when manufacturing the bracket 100. That is to say, whenmanufacturing the bracket 100, designers can more flexibly choosematerials with specific physical properties in accordance with practicalrequirements.

In this embodiment, the first and second sidewalls 110, 120 may be madeof metal. For example, the first and second sidewalls 110, 120, thebending portion 130, and the positioning board 140 may be an integralaluminum member, or the bottom plate 220, the connection portion 230,and the first and second sidewalls 110, 120, the bending portion 130,and the positioning board 140 of the bracket 100 may be an integralaluminum member. Compared with stainless steel, aluminum has theadvantages of being light and low in cost, but has a lower strength thanstainless steel. However, the connection layer 150 can improve thestrength of the bracket 100, such that the bracket 100 is not easilybroken by external forces. The connection layer 150 may be a metaladhesive, such as a two-component epoxy adhesive (AB glue) capable ofbeing cured at a room temperature, ultraviolet curing glue (UV glue),epoxy glue, or solder, but the present invention is not limited in thisregard.

Moreover, the portion of the bracket 100 where the second sidewall 120and the positioning board 140 of the bracket 100 are connected can bedesigned as an arc surface 160. When the connection layer 150 is filledbetween the first and second sidewalls 110, 120, the connection layer150 can flow into a location between the first and second sidewalls 110,120 by gravity or through use of capillary action, and the connectionlayer 150 does not easily overflow.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a frame body 200 according to anembodiment of the present invention, in which the cross-sectionalposition is the same as in FIG. 3. The frame body 200 includes thebottom plate 220, the connection portion 230, and the bracket 100. Thebracket 100 includes the first and second sidewalls 110, 120, thebending portion 130, the positioning board 140, and the connection layer150. The difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown inFIG. 3 is that the connection layer 150 is formed by spot welding of thefirst and second sidewalls 110, 120. Therefore, the connection layer 150does not need to include an adhesive or solder. In this embodiment, agap 152 formed by providing spot welds is between the first surface 116of the first sidewall 110 and the second surface 122 of the secondsidewall 120.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the frame body 200 shown in FIG. 1 assembled toa display module 300. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the display module300 includes a display panel 310, a rear cover 320, and a cover screw322. The display panel 310 is arranged in the accommodating space 210 ofthe frame body 200. The cover screw 322 penetrates the through hole 142of the bracket 100 and is fixed to the rear cover 320. As a result, theframe body 200 can be fixed on the rear cover 320 of the display module300 by the bracket 100. In this embodiment, the through hole 142 is ahole having no thread, but the present invention is not limited in thisregard. The cover screw 322 may be replaced by a bolt, and it isnecessary only that an element that can be fixed on the rear cover 320of the display module 300 be used.

It is to be noted that a description of the connection relationship andmaterials of the aforementioned elements will not be repeated. In thefollowing description, other types of the frame body 200 will bedescribed.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a frame body 200 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line7-7 shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the frame body 200includes the bottom plate 220 and the bracket 100. In use, the framebody 200 can be assembled to a display module, and a printed circuitboard can be positioned on the frame body 200 by screwing or couplingthe bracket 100 thereto (to be described hereinafter). The frame body200 includes the bottom plate 220, the connection portion 230, and thebracket 100, and the bracket 100 includes the first and second sidewalls110, 120, the bending portion 130, the positioning board 140, and theconnection layer 150.

The connection portion 230 stands erect on the bottom plate 220. Thedifferences between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in FIG. 3are that the first sidewall 110 of the bracket 100 is parallel to thebottom plate 220, and the portion of the frame body 200 where theconnection portion 230 and the first sidewall 110 of the bracket 100 areconnected is formed as an arc surface 160. It is noted that the firstsidewall 110 need not be exactly parallel to the bottom plate 220 andthere may be a 10% perpendicularity tolerance, but the present inventionis not limited in this regard.

In this embodiment, the first sidewall 110 of the bracket 100 isperpendicular to the connection portion 230. The accommodating space 210is formed by the first sidewall 110, the connection portion 230, and thebottom plate 220, and the accommodating space 210 is used to accommodatea light guide plate for example. As in the case of the aboveembodiments, since the bracket 100 includes the connection layer 150 toadhere the first and second sidewalls 110, 120, the strength of thebracket 100 can be increased. For example, when an external force in adirection D2 is applied to the positioning board 140 of the bracket 100,the bending portion 130 is not easily broken by the external force.Furthermore, when the connection layer 150 is filled between the firstand second sidewalls 110, 120 in a direction D3, the arc surface 160 canallow the connection layer 150 to smoothly flow into a location betweenthe first and second sidewalls 110, 120, and the connection layer 150does not easily overflow.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the frame body 200 shown in FIG. 6 assembled toa display module 300. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line9-9 shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the display module300 includes the display panel 310, a printed circuit board 330, aprinted circuit board screw 332, and a light guide plate 340. Thedisplay panel 310 is placed on a portion of the second sidewall 120 ofthe bracket 100. That is to say, an edge of the display panel 310 issupported by the second sidewall 120 of the bracket 100. In thisembodiment, the light guide plate 340 is positioned in the accommodatingspace 210.

The display panel 310 is electrically connected to the printed circuitboard 330 by a flexible printed circuit board 312. The printed circuitboard 330 is located on the positioning board 140 of the bracket 100,and the printed circuit board screw 332 penetrates the printed circuitboard 330 and is fixed in the through hole 142 of the positioning board140. As a result, the printed circuit board 330 can be fixed on theframe body 200 by the bracket 100. In this embodiment, the through hole142 is a hole having a thread capable of engaging the printed circuitboard screw 332, but the present invention is not limited in thisregard. The printed circuit board screw 332 may be replaced by a bolt,and it is necessary only that an element that can be fixed in thethrough hole 142 of the positioning board 140 be used.

Compared with a conventional bracket, the bracket of the presentinvention includes the connection layer to adhere the first and secondsidewalls, such that the strength of the bracket can be increased. As aresult, the bracket is not easily broken when external forces areapplied to the bracket. Furthermore, since the connection layer canimprove the strength of the bracket, materials with specific physicalproperties may be chosen for use in manufacturing the bracket, such as amaterial that is light, low cost, and that has good heat dissipationefficiency. Moreover, the portion of the bracket where the secondsidewall and the positioning board are connected can be designed as anarc surface, such that the connection layer can flow into a locationbetween the first and second sidewalls by gravity or through use ofcapillary action.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which arefiled concurrently with this specification and which are open to publicinspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papersand documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All the features disclosed in this specification (including anyaccompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced byalternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose,unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly statedotherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a genericseries of equivalent or similar features.

What is claimed is:
 1. A frame body having an accommodating space andcomprising: a bottom plate; a connection portion standing erect on thebottom plate; and a bracket comprising: a first sidewall having a firstend connected to the connection portion, and having a first surfacefacing away from the accommodating space, wherein the accommodatingspace is defined by the bottom plate, the connection portion, and thefirst sidewall; a second sidewall adjacent to a side of the firstsidewall that faces away from the accommodating space, and having asecond surface facing the first surface of the first sidewall; a bendingportion connected to a second end of the first sidewall that is distalto the connection portion and the second sidewall; a positioning boardconnected to an end of the second sidewall that is distal to the bendingportion, wherein the positioning board is parallel to the bottom plate;and a connection layer adhering the first surface of the first sidewalland the second surface of the second sidewall, wherein the firstsidewall is present between the accommodating space and the connectionlayer.
 2. The frame body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the firstsidewall of the bracket is perpendicular to the bottom plate.
 3. Theframe body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sidewall of thebracket is parallel to the bottom plate.
 4. The frame body as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first and second sidewalls are made of metal, andthe connection layer is a metal adhesive.
 5. The frame body as claimedin claim 1, wherein a portion of the bracket where the second sidewalland the positioning board are connected is formed as an arc surface. 6.The frame body as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of the framebody where the connection portion and the first sidewall of the bracketare connected is formed as an arc surface.